


Astride

by The_Lady_Crane



Series: IkeSoren Week 2021 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Established Relationship, Horseback Riding, IkeSoren Week 2021, Injury, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Short, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28581225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Crane/pseuds/The_Lady_Crane
Summary: Soren never did learn how to ride a horse.---IkeSoren Week 2021Day 3: Animals
Relationships: Ike/Senerio | Soren
Series: IkeSoren Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091183
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25
Collections: IkeSoren Week 2021





	Astride

**Author's Note:**

> This is really for tomorrow, but I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to post. I'm going ahead and uploading it now.

It happened on the march from Duke Tanas’ manor – a rut in the muddy road, and too little sleep the night before. Soren wasn’t paying attention. His foot sank into the muck, and his ankle twisted. With a yelp, he went down, catching himself on outstretched arms before he could face-plant into the ground.

“Soren! Are you alright?” Mist came running up to him, but Ike was there first. He grabbed Soren’s arm and hoisted him upright, frowning at the sage’s hiss of pain.

“Hurt?” Ike grunted, and Soren held onto him, balancing with his injured leg lifted slightly.

“My ankle. Not broken, but possibly sprained.”

“Here, I’ll heal it right up.” Mist was already reaching for her staff.

“Don’t bother,” Soren said. He pushed away from Ike, masking a wince as pain shot up his leg. “We need to save our supplies for the battle ahead. It’ll heal in a day or two.”

“Not if you keep walking on it,” Mist protested.

“I could carry you,” Ike offered, and Soren and Mist both looked at him incredulously.

“I appreciate the offer, but that’s not practical,” Soren said.

“Hey, what’s the holdup?” Titania came riding towards them on her white stallion, which was already splattered up to the knees in mud. “Soren, what’s wrong?”

“He twisted his ankle,” Ike said.

“Minor injuries should be dealt with minimally,” Soren said before Mist could interject. “We can’t spare supplies for things like this.”

The rest of the army was beginning to catch up to them, and Soren felt tension mounting in his shoulders as they all looked at him. He tried not to glance at them as he tested his foot on the soft ground. “I think I can make do,” he said, but Ike shook his head.

“No way are you walking on that. If it gets worse, you’ll just wind up needing healing.”

“Not to mention how slow you are now.” Titania was already dismounting. Her heavy boots sank slightly into the mud. “Here, get on. You can ride until we make camp.”

Soren eyed the horse. Declining the offer was impractical, to say the least; he would certainly slow everyone down in this state. But before he could acquiesce, Ike was already lifting him up. He clung to those broad shoulders as Ike maneuvered him onto the horse and didn’t let go until the general pulled away.

“Alright, let’s move,” Ike said, and they resumed their march, Ike holding the horse’s reins.

Soren’s fingers dug into the pommel of the saddle, which was far too small for his liking. He could feel the animal shifting beneath him, jostling him now and then as it went over a ridge or a dip in the road. The view from up here was dizzying. For once, Soren was looking down on everyone around him, and he didn’t like it one bit. He wished that his aching feet were firmly on the ground. He would gladly trade his position for the stability of terra firma.

A hand came to rest on his leg. “Don’t worry,” Ike said softly. “We’ll make camp and get that leg elevated. You’re gonna be fine.”

Soren nodded, ashamed to admit that he was far more worried about the beast upon which his life now rested.

They marched for another half an hour before Ike spoke again. “Do you need to stop?”

By now, Soren was clutching the saddle. He tried to loosen his grip a bit as he said, “N- no, I’m alright.”

Ike was watching him intently. “Are you…?”

“Hm?” Soren’s face flushed. Ike had noticed.

A twitch pulled Ike’s lips into a faint smile. “Are you afraid of horses?”

It never even occurred to Soren to try to lie about it. He hung his head and nodded. Ike snorted, and Soren glared at him. “It’s not so bizarre,” the sage said defensively. “I was never taught to ride a horse.”

“I guess now’s not the time to learn, with your leg like that.” Ike’s hand on Soren’s knee moved to squeeze lightly, reassuringly, despite the teasing note to his voice. “Here…”

Ike didn’t even pull the horse to a stop before he was swinging himself up into the saddle. Soren’s ankle flared with fresh pain as he had to adjust, but once Ike was settled, he found himself pulled back against the general’s solid chest. A faint blush crept over his face as Ike’s arms enfolded him.

“Lean back against me,” Ike said, and his voice resonated throughout his chest, encouraging Soren to follow his orders so he could listen to that soothing vibration. Ike’s knee nudged under Soren’s thigh, and he found his leg suspended in midair, supported by Ike’s leg. “Better?”

“Yes,” Soren murmured, shifting a little and settling back against Ike. The fact that they were heading up a group of prying eyes nagged at him, but the warmth from Ike’s body was instantly calming. Suddenly, the height didn’t bother him so much; nor did the constant movement of the animal beneath them. He was with Ike. He was safe.

“When all this is over,” Ike said, “remind me to teach you how to ride.”

“If we survive, then I vow to never again touch one of these creatures.”

Ike smirked, and lightly flicked Soren’s ear. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

“Only because you’re riding with me.” Soren hadn’t really meant to say that aloud, but he had a feeling that Ike would know what he was thinking, anyway.

“When this is over, I’m going to buy you a horse.” Ike adjusted his grip on the reins slightly. “You’d never let something that expensive go to waste.”

“I’m sure the others will appreciate all the meat,” Soren huffed, and Ike chuckled.

“You wouldn’t do that!”

“I would, certainly. Horse meat is very nutritious.”

“Hey, watch what you say around Galahad!” Titania said with a laugh, indicating her stallion. “He may just throw you if you keep talking about eating horses.”

Soren tensed a bit, despite himself. Ike said, “I’m sure he’s smart enough to know that Soren’s just joking.”

Soren hadn’t been joking, but he thought it wise to drop the subject – if not for the horse’s sake, then at least for Ike’s and Titania’s. “We can stop to rest in a bit,” Ike said. “Then we can wrap your leg up. Maybe pack some snow on it.”

“It’s already feeling better,” Soren said. “… Thank you.”

“No problem.”

It was a long, hard ride for the rest of the day. But Soren didn’t mind – not when Ike was so close. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine that they were somewhere far away from this wretched place, that they were traveling without a care in the world. If they survived the upcoming battles, then perhaps they would get that chance.

At least, he told himself, he would never have to get on a horse again.


End file.
